Fall 2013 Haute Couture: Elie Saab sets the Runway Ablaze

By sending a bevy of fiery red, midnight blue, and emerald green evening gowns down his shiny red catwalk set inside the Palais Brongiart, Elie Saab staked a claim as king of the red carpet, at least for next season.

Aptly titled “Royal Affair,” his new Fall/Winter 2013 haute couture collection glittered like the jewels it sought to represent in the shapes of the backs of his bustiers (pear-shaped and oval-shaped to represent diamond cuts).

The designer used veins of sequins on his full-skirted gowns to highlight small waists as well as round décolleté. He also continued to put emphasis on the backs of the frocks, which in turn offered plunging cuts or unusual asymmetric cut-outs. Yet, the silhouettes were kept simple, and if the sequins were ever present, the embellishments were usually kept unfussy.

Saab played to a younger generation of clients by also offering a few short dresses, and even a lone pant outfit, but nearly all his looks were red-carpet worthy.

His bride, glittering in a gown embroidered with repeated linear constellations of smoked quartz and crystal, was a vision to behold with three bridesmaids in a simple, strapless, sequined column gown holding her long silver train of grey tulle.